Worldwide industrial sand and gravel production 2023, by country

The United States was the leading producer of industrial sand and gravel worldwide in 2023, having produced an estimated 130 million metric tons that year.

Sand and gravel industry worldwide

The average price of sand and gravel has been slowly increasing, most recently standing at an average price of 54 U.S. dollars per metric ton in 2023. Considered to be one of the most accessible natural resources, sand and gravel deposits originate from various geomorphological processes, which include river channels, river flood plains, and glacial deposits. It is a necessary material for road building and concrete production, among other uses such as in playgrounds, golf courses, and glass manufacturing. The total global production volume of industrial sand and gravel came to an estimated 400 million metric tons in 2023.

Sand and gravel trade in the United States

Although the United States is the leading producer of sand and gravel worldwide, the country still imports a certain amount for construction purposes. The majority of U.S. sand and gravel imports originate from the neighboring country Canada, where the material is most voluminously produced in the province Ontario. Nevertheless, the U.S. also exports sand and gravel, Asia as the largest recipient of U.S. construction sand exports, and other North American countries the largest recipients of U.S. construction gravel exports as of 2021.